Institute of Commercial Management | Qualification Subject

Culinary Theory

ICM Professional Diploma Unit

Introduction to the Catering Industry

  • Definition of the catering industry
  • Various types of catering establishments
  • Welfare catering
  • Residential establishments
  • Catering for industry (industry catering)

Food & Society

  • An introduction to food and society
  • Some factors which affect what we eat
  • Ideas about food
  • Images of food
  • Resources
  • Influences
  • Food changes in British society

Influences of Ethnic Culture

  • Introduction to ethnic cookery
  • Religious influences
  • European cookery
  • Mediterranean and Middle Eastern
  • American
  • Mexican and South American
  • Caribbean
  • India, Pakistani and Bangladeshi
  • Chinese
  • Japanese
  • South East Asian
  • African

Food Commodities

  • Meat / offal / poultry / game / fish
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits / nuts
  • Eggs / milk / cheese
  • Fats and oils
  • Cereals raising agents
  • Sugar
  • Beverages
  • Pulses
  • Herbs / spices / condiments
  • Colourings, flavourings and essences
  • Grocery and delicatessen
  • Confectionery and bakery goods

Elementary Nutrition, Food Science and Food Preservation

  • Food and nutrients
  • Proteins
  • Fats
  • Carbohydrates
  • Vitamins
  • Mineral elements
  • Water
  • The cooking of nutrients
  • Food requirements basal metabolism
  • Value of foods in the diet
  • Balanced diet and healthy eating
  • Food additives
  • Food spoilage
  • Methods of preservation

Menu Planning

  • Kinds of menus
  • Structure of menus
  • Planning the menu
  • Writing menus in French
  • Examples of different menus

Food Purchasing, Storage and Control

  • Purchasing of commodities
  • Portion control
  • Methods of purchasing
  • The standard recipe
  • Cost control
  • Food cost and operational control
  • Storekeeping

Promotion and Selling

  • Promotion and selling
  • Service of food
  • Types of food service

Kitchen Planning

  • Design of the kitchen
  • Kitchen organisation
  • Working methods
  • Role and function of personnel of a traditional kitchen
  • Kitchen supervision

Catering Equipment

  • Large equipment
  • Mechanical equipment
  • Food processing equipment
  • Refrigeration
  • Small equipment and utensils

Catering Services

  • Gas
  • Electricity
  • Comparison of fuels
  • Energy conservation
  • Water

Catering Systems

  • Standards of hygiene
  • Cook-chill system
  • Cook-freeze system
  • Overall benefits of cook-chill / cook-freeze
  • Sous-vide
  • Centralised production
  • Small centralised operations

Computers in Catering

  • Catering controls
  • Hotel management software

Health and Safety

  • Legislation
  • Environmental health officer
  • Accidents
  • Accident prevention
  • First aid
  • Fire precautions
  • Use of portable fire extinguishers

Hygiene

  • Personal hygiene
  • Kitchen hygiene
  • Food hygiene
  • Food hygiene regulations
  • Food hygiene regulations 1990
  • Summary of food hygiene

Industrial Relations

  • Legal aspects

Example Candidate Response Booklet

Example Candidate Response (ECR) Booklets are a source of crucial information for Centres and Candidates as they use real candidate responses. We ask Senior Examiners to comment on five or more responses in terms of why the mark was awarded with commentary about how to improve the answer (if necessary).

Recommended Reading

Main Text:

The Theory of Catering – Foskett, Kinton & Ceserani (Hodder & Stoughton)

Indicative Text:

Alternative Text and Further Reading: